Ongoing Science as Station Crew Counts Down to Dragon Departure, New Trio

Science was the main focus aboard the International Space Station while preparations continued for Monday’s Dragon spacecraft release and Thursday’s launch and docking of three new Expedition 35 crew members. After their lunch hour, the current Expedition 35 trio conducted an emergency drill simulating a pressure loss.

Commander Chris Hadfield worked with the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) for the Coarsening of Solids in Liquid Mixtures experiment. He vented a water line in the MSG and checked the temperature and humidity inside the experiment device.

In advance of Dragon’s departure targeted for Monday morning he swapped out research gear inside the EXPRESS Rack 2. A Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus (CGBA) was removed and replaced inside the rack with the older CGBA to be returned inside the Dragon commercial resupply spacecraft.

Hadfield also took part in proficiency training answering questions for a self-assessment test as part of his role as the station’s Crew Medical Officer. He later activated and checked out the functionality of a communications unit to be used from inside the station during Dragon’s release and separation.

Flight Engineer Tom Marshburn worked on the Gradient Heating Furnace (GHF) in the Kibo laboratory’s Kobairo rack. He installed alloy semiconductor sample cartridges then measured the insulation resistance of the heating units inside the GHF which is used for high quality crystal growth experiments.

He also participated in the Energy experiment that observes the negative energy balance crew members experience in space and explores exercise as a countermeasure. He then set up the Kubik gear, using the European Drawer Rack‘s laptop located in the Columbus laboratory module, for telemetry downloads. The Kubik incubator/cooler uses seeds, cells, and small animals for life science experiments.

Veteran cosmonaut and flight engineer Roman Romanenko continued his work on an ongoing suite of Russian experiments. He copied data recorded for the Identification experiment which records the physical stress on the space station during dynamic events such as reboosts, spacecraft dockings and spacewalk. He also continued his photography for the Uragan and Ekon Earth observation studies.